


White noise

by tveckling



Category: Romeo And Juliet - All Media Types
Genre: Aftermath of a serious and bloody fight, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Escalus is the police chief, Gen, Mercutio is - despite himself - many's sweetheart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-08
Updated: 2018-03-08
Packaged: 2019-03-28 19:42:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13910835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tveckling/pseuds/tveckling
Summary: Ways to say 'I love you': You don't have to say anything.





	White noise

When his uncle showed up at the police station Mercutio should have felt terror grip his heart. It was the usual reaction when he had been caught red-handed breaking the law, which happened unfairly often and had to be the Capulets’ faults. His uncle’s wrath was no small thing and even at its weakest it left them both in awful moods for days. He should have been keeping a close watch on Giovanni as he spoke with the officer in charge, searching in his face for what sort of anger he would have to ride out. 

Instead he kept on staring at the tiled floor, feeling the world distantly move around him. Benvolio had been holding his hand at some point, but when Mercutio hadn’t responded in any way he had eventually let go. Probably when they had taken him in for his testimony. The one during which Mercutio had refused to say a single word or look up from his bloodied fists.

“We’re going home.”

If he could Mercutio would have stayed in the white-noise world, but his uncle’s voice demanded attention and almost against his will Mercutio found himself responding.

He glanced up, too fast to actually see his uncle’s face, and pushed himself to his feet, only swaying a moment before he caught himself. His uncle’s eyes were a heavy weight on him, stubbornly ignored. There was nothing he wanted to say. Nothing he could think to say.

The way out was covered by enough people that Mercutio should have had problem avoiding bumping into someone every second step, what with the way he couldn’t twist his body out of the way like he usually did. The fact that he didn’t was most likely due to the fact that his uncle was right on his heels, and Mercutio could practically feel the furious energy his uncle produced. Everyone surely looked at him, and then did their utmost to not be anywhere near where he was going. Normally it would have been a funny thought, and a funny scenario to imagine, but Mercutio was too tired to feel anything.

After they both got in the car and Giovanni gave the driver the okay Mercutio thought the lecture, or the furious outburst, depending on who you asked, was going to commence, and accordingly he took a breath to steel himself. But his uncle only frowned as he looked out the window, acting as though Mercutio wasn’t sitting next to him. Fine. He could roll with that. Less yelling meant more time to make himself comfortable, as much he could, and prepare himself.

He had almost managed to fall asleep, somehow, feeling himself slouch heavier and heavier against the door, when his uncle spoke.

“I don’t know what happened to make you so angry, as none of the other involved has offered that information. No Montague and no Capulet. What I do know is that you were the one to start this, let’s call it a fight, although it feels too weak a word for the situation.” Giovanni sighed and Mercutio heard him shift, could so clearly imagine him turning his head and focusing that stern face on him. “Three people have been taken to the hospital, Mercutio. They just barely managed to save Romeo’s arm, in case you were wondering.”

There was no way Giovanni would miss his full-body jerk, not with the way he then fought not to curl in on himself as the unintentional movement spread a flash of pain through what felt like every part of him.

When he spoke again Giovanni’s voice was slightly softer. “Seeing how none of your opponents will divulge the reason you started fighting I suspect it was something that might get them in trouble, which I admit does cast the whole situation in a slightly different light. It’s still serious, don’t misunderstand. I do not, and never will, condone fighting. I have seen far too much of the consequences to be able to feel any different.”

A heavy sigh and his uncle’s hand carefully settled on Mercutio’s knee. “But, Mercutio, you are my family. You and Valentine, you are both like the children I never had. That means you are important to me.” A pause. “You don’t have to say anything. Just remember that, even if you might think different, I will always, ultimately, be on your side.”

Mercutio couldn’t get his mouth moved, couldn’t even turn and look at his uncle. It was taking all he had just to sit up and keep any feelings from showing. Any more was impossible, even if he had been able to think of something to do or say.

Giovanni patted Mercutio’s knee once, then pulled back, settling back in his seat. “We’ll figure out this situation, don’t you worry. I’ll get back to the station tomorrow and oversee everything; there is a doctor waiting for us at home, so you can really get your wounds looked at. After that is done you and I will sit down and you will give your statement of what happened. Don’t think I will let you off the hook as easily as Moretti, he’s just soft on you. Always has been, that lazy bum.”

Almost without noticing it Mercutio smiled, letting his uncle’s stern tone settle him into a sense of normalcy. He closed his eyes and breathed out, still with a small smile on his lips.


End file.
